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NUMISMATIC  NOTJ^v^k 

AND  MONOGKfe^S 


No.  10  Q/b7;,4>. 

< A t\  if'  »> 


59 


3^ 


THE  FIRST  SELEUCID  COINAGE 
OF  TYRE 


By  EDWARD  T.  NEWELL 


THE  AMERICAN  NUMISMATIC  SOCIETY 
BROADWAY  AT  156th  STREET 
NEW  YORK 
1921 


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NUMISMATIC 

NOTES  AND  MONOGRAPHS 


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THE  FIRST  SELEUCID 
COINAGE  OF  TYRE 


THE  AMERICAN  NUMISMATIC  SOCIETY 
BROADWAY  AT  156th  STREET 
NEW  YORK 
1921 


COPYRIGHT  1921  BY 


THE  AMERICAN  NUMISMATIC  SOCIETY 


Press  of  The  John  C.  Powers  Company,  Inc.,  N.  Y. 


fHE  GETTY  CENTER 
U8RARY 


SELEUCID  COINAGE 

1 

THE  FIRST  SELEUCID  COINAGE 
OF  TYRE 

By  Edward  T.  Newell 

In  the  city  of  Tyre  was  located  one  of 
the  most  active  mints  of  the  Seleucid  kings. 
Their  well  known  tetradrachms  of  Phoe- 
nician weight,  bearing  the  eagle  type 
associated  with  the  usual  symbol  of  the 
Tyrian  mint  (the  club  combined  with  the 
letters  TTP),  are  among  the  commonest 
coins  of  the  entire  Seleucid  series.  It  is, 
however,  a matter  of  considerable  surprise 
when  we  contemplate  the  fact  that  the 
striking  of  these  particular  coins  only  com- 
menced with  the  reign  of  Alexander  I Bala 
( 1 50-145  b.c.),  although  the  flourishing 
city  of  Tyre  had  already  been  subject  to 
the  Syrian  monarchs  for  over  fifty  years. 

Under  the  previous  dominion  of  the 
Ptolemaic  kings  of  Egypt  the  city  had  con- 
stituted one  of  their  principal  mints — 

NUMISMATIC  NOTES 

2 

1 

SELEUCID  COINAGE 

indeed  the  most  prolific  and  continuously 
active  one  along  the  entire  Phoenician 
coast.1  It  is  difficult  to  believe,  therefore, 
that  Tyre  really  ceased  for  a time  to  coin 
silver,  when  in  201  b.c.  Antiochus'  III  en- 
tered its  gates  and  the  city  became  the 
centre  of  his  Phoenician  dominions.  The 
commercial  importance  of  Tyre,  its  great 
strategic  value,  and  its  past  numismatic 
history  all  point  to  the  necessary  conclusion 
that  its  silver  coinage  could  hardly  have 
stopped  when  it  passed  from  Lagid  to 
Seleucid  rule. 

It  is  true  that  a few  copper  coins  have 
already  been  attributed  to  Tyre  for  the 
period  preceding  the  reign  of  Alexander 
Bala.  In  addition,  one  tetradrachm  bear- 
ing the  portrait  of  Antiochus  III  has  also 
been  assigned  to  this  mint  by  Dr.  J.  Rou- 
vier  (No.  1824  in  his  Numismatique  des 
Villes  de  la  Phenicie,  Jour.  Int.  Num.,  Vol. 
6,  1904).  This  latter  piece,  however,  be- 
cause of  its  style  and  fabric,  probably  never 
emanated  from  the  Tyrian  mint.2  We  are, 
therefore,  reduced  to  the  above  mentioned 
rather  paltry  copper  coinage  as  the  sole 

NUMISMATIC  NOTES 

TYRE 

3 

representatives  for  over  fifty  years  of  the 
wealthy  city  of  Tyre  and  a great  Seleucid 
fortress. 

Induced  by  this  somewhat  surprising 
state  of  affairs  to  institute  a careful  search 
through  the  various  catalogues  of  important 
public  collections  and  also  such  private 
collections  as  were  accessible  to  him,  the 
writer  was  soon  rewarded  by  finding  a 
comparatively  large  and  remarkably  homo- 
geneous group  of  tetradrachms  and 
drachms  whose  attribution  to  Tyre  now 
appears  certain.  With  these  the  disturb- 
ing and,  in  fact,  impossible  gap  in  the 
Tyrian  silver  coinage,  which  extended  from 
the  capture  of  the  city  by  Antiochus  III  in 
201  b.c.  to  the  inauguration  of  the  well 
known  series  of  “eagle”  tetradrachms  of 
Phoenician  weight  in  150  b.c.  (the  first  year 
of  Alexander  I’s  reign),  is  now  completely 
and  apparently  satisfactorily  filled.  As 
the  following  catalogue  shows,  every 
Seleucid  sovereign  who  reigned  during  the 
fifty  years  in  question  is  represented  by  an 
adequate  silver  coinage,  in  addition  to  a 
plentiful  series  of  bronze  coins. 

AND  MONOGRAPHS 

4 

SELEUCID  COINAGE 

The  writer  is  here  desirous  of  expressing 
his  deep  sense  of  gratitude  to  the  Rev. 
Edgar  Rogers  for  his  great  kindness  in 
allowing  him  to  publish  certain  rare  and 
apparently  unpublished  varieties  (Nos.  51 
and  53).  The  writer  is  also  very  grateful 
to  Dr.  Rogers,  M.  Jameson,  and  the 
authorities  of  the  British  Museum  and  Paris 
collections  for  their  kindness  and  trouble 
in  sending  him  casts  of  certain  important 
pieces  needed  for  this  article. 

ANTIOCHUS  III,  223-187  b.c. 

Series  I,  circa  201-196  b.c. 

i Tetradrachm, 

Obv.  Head  to  right  adorned  with 
diadem  with  fluttering  ends.  The 
features  of  Antiochus  III  are  rather 
fleshy,  his  nose  is  comparatively  short. 
Rev.  BA2IAEQ2  onright.  ANTIOXOT 
on  left.  Apollo,  completely  naked, 
seated  to  left  on  omphalos.  He  holds 
arrow  in  outstretched  right  hand  and 
rests  left  on  a bow  of  the  “composit” 
type.  On  r.,  outside  inscription, 

On  1.,  outside  inscription,  A- 

Newell  Coll.  Plate  I. 

NUMISMATIC  NOTES 

TYRE 

5 

2 Tetradrachm. 

Obv.  From  the  same  die  as  the  preced- 
ing coin. 

Rev.  Similar,  but  the  shaft  of  Apollo’s 
bow  forms  a simple  curve. 

Newell  Coll.  Plate  I.  Another  in  commerce,  gr. 
17.23. 

3 Chalkous. 

Obv . Similar  head  to  right,  at  times  in 
a circle  of  dots. 

Rev.  BA2IAEQ2  above.  ANTIOXOT 
below.  Prow  of  galley,  adorned  with 
dolphin,  to  1.,  in  circle  of  dots. 

Newell  Coll.  Two  specimens,  gr.  6.65  and  5.36. 

Plate  I. 

4 Chalkous. 

Obv.  Similar. 

Rev.  Similar,  but  above  prow  is  to  be 
seen  the  date  PIE  ( = 198-197  B.C.). 

Paris,  No.  450  (gr.  4.40)  PI.  xi,  5;  No.  451  gr.  4.90. 

5 Dilepton. 

Obv.  Similar. 

Rev.  BA2IAEQ2  on  right.  ANTIOXOT 
on  left.  Palm  tree,  the  whole  surrounded 
by  a circle  of  dots. 

Newell  Coll.  gr.  2.76.  Plate  I. 

AND  MONOGRAPHS 

6 

SELEUCID  COINAGE 

While  conforming  in  a general  way  to  the 
types  and  style  of  the  tetradsachms  which 
the  writer  has  elsewhere3  shown  must  be 
assigned  to  Antioch,  our  two  coins,  Nos.  i 
and  2,  nevertheless  differ  markedly  in  many 
minor  details.  This  fact  at  once  suggests 
the  possibility  that  we  have  here  to  do 
with  the  issues  of  another  mint.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  technique  of  the  die- 
cutting and  the  fabric  of  the  coins  them- 
selves point  to  a mint  whose  location 
could  not  have  been  at  - any  very  great 
distance  from  Antioch,  that  is  to  say,  as 
far  away  as  Asia  Minor  or  Babylonia. 
We  must,  therefore,  look  nearer  home — 
perhaps  in  Cilicia,  Syria,  or  along  the 
Phoenician  coast. 

Again  the  features  of  Antiochus  on  these 
coins  show  that  he  is  no  longer  a young 
man.  The  coins  must  certainly  be  later 
than  Nos.  7 to  12  on  Plate  I of  the  writer’s 
“The  Seleucid  Mint  of  Antioch,”  where 
the  features  are  still  very  youthful.  On 
the  other  hand,  our  head  does  not  exhibit  the 
sunken  cheeks  and  sharper  profile  of  Nos. 
25  to  30  on  Plate  II  of  the  same  work. 

NUMISMATIC  NOTES 

TYRE 

7 

In  other  words,  our  coins  evidently  fall 
somewhere  between  these  two  groups 
and  so  are  to  be  considered  as  nearly  con- 
temporaneous with  Series  II  of  the  Antio- 
chene mint  which  is  assigned  to  about 
206-200  b.c.  A comparison  of  the  portrai- 
ture confirms  this  in  a general  way. 

A glance  at  our  Plate  I shows  unmis- 
takably the  close  connection  that  must 
exist  between  the  bronze  coins  (Nos.  3 and 
5)  there  displayed  and  our  two  tetra- 
drachms.  There  is  a striking  similarity 
between  the  portraits  which  all  these  coins 
bear,  and  a still  greater  similarity  in  the 
style  of  their  die-cutting.  So  evident  is 
this,  that  the  most  conservative  of  numis- 
matists will  probably  admit  the  strong 
chance  that  all  these  coins  were  perhaps 
actually  issued  from  one  and  the  same  mint. 
Now  the  technique  displayed  by  the  bronze 
coins,  the  flans  upon  which  they  were 
struck  and,  above  all,  their  types  are 
characteristically,  even  certainly,  Phoeni- 
cian. Hence,  at  least,  the  tentative 
assignment  of  Nos.  1-5  to  some  important 
Phoenician  city  can  hardly  be  seriously 

AND  MONOGRAPHS 

8 

SELEUCID  COINAGE 

disputed.  Furthermore,  it  should  be 

pointed  out  that  the  conclusions  arrived 
at  above  as  to  the  approximate  date  of 
their  first  appearance  coincides  with  the 
historical  fact  that  Antiochus  III  finally 
secured  possession  of  the  Phoenician  coast 
in  the  spring  of  201  b.c.  The  actual  date 
borne  by  No.  4 is  probably  the  terminus 
of  this  particular  issue.  The  definite 
assignment  to  Tyre,  as  proposed  in  this 
article,  of  our  tetradrachms  rests  largely 
upon  the  attribution  of  Series  II  and  III. 

The  bronze  coins  described  above  have 
been  given,  following  M.  Babelon  and 
Dr.  J.  Rouvier,  the  convenient  terms  of 
Chalkous  and  Dilepton  to  facilitate  a quick 
distinction  between  the  two  denominations 
used.  To  determine  upon  what  really 
are  the  denominations  found  in  Greek 
copper  coins  is  a knotty  problem,  and 
requires  a longer  period  of  research  and 
study  before  it  is  placed  upon  a definite 
and  acceptable  basis.  The  terms  are  here 
used  only  for  convenience  sake  and  in 
deference  to  M.  Babelon’s  well-known 
authority.4 

NUMISMATIC  NOTES 

TYRE 

9 

Series  II,  Circa  196  b.c. 

6 Tetradrachm. 

Obv.  Diademed  head  as  on  preceding 
tetradrachms  but  with  longer  nose  and 
features  less  fleshy.  The  diadem  ends 
henceforth  hang  down  straight  instead 
of  fluttering. 

Rev.  Inscription  and  type  as  on  Nos. 
i and  2.  Apollo  is  entirely  nude  as 
before,  but  the  omphalos  is  here 
draped  with  his  himation.  His  bow  is 
again  of  the  simple  type.  On  1.  outside 
inscription,  A.  On  r.,  outside  inscrip- 
tion, IN. 

Paris,  No.  336,  Plate  II;  Athens,  Jour.  Int.  Num. 
Vol.  VI,  1903,  PI.  vii,  2. 

7 Tetradrachm. 

Obv.  From  the  same  obverse  die  as  was 
used  for  the  preceding  coins. 

Rev.  Similar.  On  1.,  outside  inscrip- 
tion, /£.  On  r.,  outside  inscription,  fvo~ 
Newell  Coll.  Plate  II. 

8 Tetradrachm. 

Obv.  Similar  but  of  higher  relief  and 
better  style.  For  the  first  time  a circle 
of  dots  surrounds  the  head. 

AND  MONOGRAPHS 

10 

SELEUCID  COINAGE 

Rev.  Similar,  but  the  omphalos  (as  on 
Nos.  i and  2),  is  no  longer  draped. 
The  bow  is  of  simple  style.  On  1., 
outside  inscription,  A-  On  r.,  outside 
inscription,  In  exergue,  Bull  rushing 

to  1. 

Paris,  No.  337.  Plate  II. 

Nos.  6 and  7 of  this  series  are  united 
not  only  by  the  monogram  & found  on 
both,  but  especially  by  the  fact  that  their 
obverses  were  struck  from  the  same  die. 
No.  6 bears  also  the  monogram  [A]  which  we 
have  seen  occurred  on  our  two  first  tetra- 
drachms  Nos.  i and  2.  Therefore,  in  spite 
of  the  minor  differences  in  style  and  details 
of  design  between  the  two  groups,  it  is 
probable  that  they  were  all  struck  in  one 
and  the  same  mint.  This  inference  is 
definitely  proved  by  No.  8 which  in  style 
and  details  of  the  obverse  design  is  closest 
to  Nos.  6 and  7,  but  in  the  style  of  its 
reverse  is  closest  to  Nos.  1 and  2.  Further- 
more, it  bears  the  same  two  monograms  A 
and  [A3  found  on  the  tetradrachms  of  Series 
I,  and  so  must  certainly  have  been  struck 
at  their  mint.  The  infuriated  bull  which 

NUMISMATIC  NOTES 

TYRE 

11 

is  to  be  seen  in  the  exergue  of  this  coin 
is  probably  only  a magistrate’s  symbol. 

Series  hi,  circa  196-188  b.c. 

9 Tetradrachm. 

Obv.  Diademed  head  of  Antiochus  III 
to  r.  surrounded  by  a circle  of  dots. 
The  portrait  on  this  and  the  following 
coins  is  somewhat  idealized,  the  features 
are  thinner  and  sharper,  the  nose  long 
and  pointed.  The  diadem  ends  hang- 
down  stiffly.  The  breaks  which  appear 
later  on  this  die  do  not  show  here. 

Rev.  On  r.  BASIAEDS;  on  L,  ANTI- 
OXOT.  Apollo,  naked  but  for  his  right 
thigh  which  is  draped,  is  seated  to  1. 
on  omphalos,  the  top  of  which  is  also 
draped.  In  style  and  details,  this 
reverse  approaches  closest  to  those  of 
Nos.  6 and  7.  On  1.,  outside  inscription, 
|\K;  on  r.,  outside  inscription,  (-f  • 

Paris,  No.  291  (erroneously  attributed  to  Antiochus 
Hierax)  PI.  viii,  fig.  6,  here  Plate  III.  A much 
finer  specimen  from  the  same  obverse  and  reverse 
dies  is  shown  on  PI.  xxii,  No.  581,  Hirsch  Sale, 
XXXII.  1912. 

10  Tetradrachm. 

Obv.  From  the  same  obverse  die.  Die 

AND  MONOGRAPHS 

12 

SELEUCID  COINAGE 

breaks  are  here  commencing  to  show  at 
the  back  of  the  head. 

Rev . As  above,  but  only  Apollo’s 
right  thigh  is  draped.  On  1.,  outside 
inscription,  |\K.  On  r.,  outside  inscrip- 
tion, £.  In  exergue,  Bow  in  Quiver. 

Pozzi  Sale,  Apr.  4,  1921,  PI.  lxxxvi,  No.  2948, 

Plate  III. 

ij  Tetradrachm, 

Obv.  From  the  same  die  as  the  preced- 
ing, but  with  the  die  breaks  still  more 
evident. 

Rev.  Similar  to  preceding,  but  with 
Apollo  entirely  nude.  On  1.,  outside 
inscription,  A>  and  Lighted  Torch. 
On  r.,  outside  inscription,  INK.  In 
exergue,  Club. 

London,  No.  7,  Plate  III;  Newell  Coll.;  Paris, 
No.  290  (erroneously  attributed  to  Antiochus 
Hierax);  Pozzi  Sale,  Apr.  4,  1921,  PI.  lxxxvi,  No. 
2949. 

12  Tetradrachm. 

Obv.  From  the  same  obverse  die  as  was 
used  for  the  preceding  coin. 

Rev.  Similar.  On  1.,  outside  inscrip- 
tion, A.  On  r.,  outside  inscription,  INK- 

Newell  Coll.  Plate  IV.  A similar  coin,  but  with 
the  obverse  from  another  die,  was  sold  by  Mme. 
Serrure  in  her  sale  of  Nov.  18,  1911,  No.  76,  PI.  iii. 

NUMISMATIC  NOTES 

TYRE 

13 

13  Drachm. 

Obv . Diademed  head  similar  to 
preceding. 

Rev.  Similar  type  and  inscription.  On 
1.,  outside  inscription,  A-  On  r., 
outside  inscription,  NK. 

Newell  Coll.  Plate  V;  Pozzi  Sale,  Apr.  4,  1921,  PI. 
lxxxvi,  No.  2956. 

14  Tetradrachm. 

Obv.  From  the  same  die  as  Nos,  9-12. 
Rev.  Similar  to  preceding.  On  left, 
outside  inscription,  A-  On  r.,  outside 
inscription,  [\fc.  In  exergue,  Club. 

Rev.  Edgar  Rogers.  Plate  IV. 

15  Tetradrachm. 

Obv.  From  the  same  die  as  the  preced- 
ing. This  die  is  now  showing  very  bad 
breaks  and  dimmed  outlines  due  to 
long  continued  use. 

Rev.  Similar  to  preceding.  On  1.,  out- 
side inscription,  A above  Club.  On  r., 
outside  inscription,  f\K- 

Newell  Coll.  Plate  IV;  another  in  commerce. 

16  Chalkous. 

Obv.  Diademed  head  with  sharp  fea- 
tures as  on  preceding  coins.  Circle  of 
dots  around. 

AND  MONOGRAPHS 

14 

SELEUCID  COINAGE 

Rev.  BASIAEQS  above.  ANTIOXOT 
below.  Stem  of  galley  (not  prow  as 
described  by  M.  Babelon).  In  field  the 
date  PIZ  ( = 196-195  b.c.) 

Paris,  No.  452.  gr.  7.75.  PI.  xi,  6. 

17  Chalkous. 

Obv.  Similar. 

Rev.  Similar  but  date  is  PIO  ( = 194- 
193  B.C.). 

Newell  Coll.  gr.  7.20.  Plate  V. 

18  Chalkous. 

Obv.  Similar. 

Rev.  Similar  but  date  is  PK  ( = 193- 
192  B.C.) . 

Newell  Coll.  gr.  9.32. 

19  Chalkous. 

Obv . Similar. 

Rev.  Similar  but  date  is  PKA  (=189- 
188  B.C.). 

London,  No.  33. 

20  Dilepton. 

Obv.  Similar,  features  thinner  and 
sharper  than  on  No.  5. 

Rev.  BA2IAEQ2  on  r.  ANTIOXOT 
on  1.  Palm  tree.  The  whole  in  circle 
of  dots. 

NUMISMATIC  NOTES 

TYRE 

15 

Newell  Coll.  4 specimens,  gr.  3.27,  2.35,  2.24, 
2.05  Plate  V;  Paris,  Nos.  577-578,  gr.  2.00  and 
3.15  (erroneously  assigned  to  Antiochus  IV);  Dr. 
Rouvier,  No.  1823;  London,  No.  48,  PI.  ix,  8. 

We  need  not  here  delay  over  the  attribu- 
tion of  the  bronze  coins  Nos.  16-20  to  Tyre, 
an  attribution  that  is  certain  and  recognized 
by  all  recent  authorities.  The  dates  PIZ 
to  PKA  which  appear  on  the  larger  of  the 
two  denominations  show  their  issue  to 
have  taken  place  between  the  years  196 
and  189  b.c.  The  small  bronze  pieces, 
Nos.  5 and  20,  with  the  type  of  the  palm 
tree,  are  the  beginning  of  a long  line  of 
similar  pieces  whose  attribution  to  Tyre 
is  certain  and  has  so  been  recognized  by 
Dr.  J.  Rouvier  as  well  as  by  M.  Babelon. 

Nos.  9,  10,  11,  12,  14  and  15,  form  a 
remarkably  homogeneous  group.  All  the 
known  specimens,  with  but  a single  excep- 
tion (an  example  of  No.  12)  are  struck 
from  one  and  the  same  obverse  die.  A 
glance  at  these  coins,  as  reproduced  on 
Plates  III  and  IV,  shows  clearly  the  ad- 
vancing wear,  breaks,  and  general  dete- 
rioration of  the  particular  die  in  question, 
due  to  its  long  continued  service.  Especially 

AND  MONOGRAPHS 

16 

SELEUCID  COINAGE 

to  be  noted  is  the  fact  that  this  group  of 
coins  throughout  displays  a monogram 
already  used  for  the  issues  of  Series  I and 
II,  namely  thus  conclusively  proving 

that  these  coins  must  all  be  the  issues  of  a 
single  mint.  Finally,  the  tetradrachms 
of  Series  III  are  important  as  now,  for  the 
first  time  in  Seleucid  numismatics,  appears 
the  Club — the  customary  attribute  of 
Tyrian  Heracles  and  the  usual  symbol 
of  the  mint  of  Tyre.  The  two  symbols, 
Lighted  Torch  and  Quiver,  occurring  on 
our  coins  only  intermittently,  are  evidently 
but  the  symbols  of  magistrates  responsible 
for  the  coinage  and  so,  unlike  the  Club, 
do  not  occur  again  on  later  issues. 

Series  iv,  circa  188-187  b.c. 

21  Tetradrachm. 

Obv.  Diademed  head  of  Antiochus  III 
to  r. 

Rev . BA2IAEQ2  onr.  ANTIOXOT  on 
1.  Apollo  seated  to  1.  on  omphalos, 
holding  arrow  in  right  hand  and  resting 
left  on  bow.  On  1.,  outside  inscription 
2 A and  Club.  On  r.,  outside  inscrip- 
tion, INK. 

Coll,  of  Dr.  E.  P.  Robinson.  Plate  V. 

NUMISMATIC  NOTES 

TYRE 

17 

The  single  known  tetradrachm  of  Series 
IV  was  probably  struck  but  a short  time 
previous  to  the  death  of  Antiochus  III. 
This  follows  from  the  fact  that  not  only 
the  symbol  but  also  both  monograms  are 
found  on  the  immediately  succeeding  issue 
of  Seleucus  IV.  Thus  is  finally  crystallized 
the  general  type  and  character  of  the  silver 
issues  of  Seleucid  Tyre  until  the  time  when 
the  entire  system  was  changed  by  Alex- 
ander I Bala. 

The.  style  of  No.  21  is  identical  with  that 
of  the  immediately  preceding  tetradrachms 
of  Series  III.  Like  them,  it  bears  the  mint 
symbol  Club , and  the  monogram  J\K  which 
has  been  found  to  occur  on  Nos.  9 to  15 
inclusive.  Further  proof  of  the  identity 
of  the  mint  is  hardly  necessary.  A new 
magistrate,  signing  his  initials  2 A im- 
mediately above  the  club,  appears  now 
for  the  first  time,  but  we  will  have  further 
occasion  to  record  his  signature  on  the 
succeeding  issues  of  Seleucus  IV  and 
Antiochus  IV. 

AND  MONOGRAPHS 

18 

SELEUCID  COINAGE 

SELEUCUS  IV,  187-175  b.c. 

22  TETRADRACHM. 

Ohv.  Diademed  head  of  Seleucus  IV 
to  r.  Circle  of  dots. 

Rev.  BASIAEQS  on  r.  SEAETKOT 
on  1.  Apollo  seated  to  r.  as  on  previous 
issues,  holding  arrow  in  outstretched 
right  hand  and  resting  left  on  bow. 
On  1.,  outside  inscription,  Club  and 
SA.  On  r.,  outside  inscription,  INK 
( or  I*). 

Rev.  Edgar  Rogers  Coll.  Plate  VI. 

23  Tetradrachm. 

Gbv.  Similar. 

Rev.  Similar.  On  1.,  outside  inscription, 
Club  and  SA.  On  r.,  outside  inscription, 

n 

Num.  Chron .,  1883.  Pi.  vi,  No.  3;  Rev.  Edgar 
Rogers,  Plate  VI  (the  club  is  missing  on  this 
specimen). 

24  Chalkous. 

Obv.  Similar  diademed  head  of  Seleucus 
IV  to  r.  Circle  of  pearls. 

Rev.  BASIAEQS  above.  SEAETKOT 
below.  Stern  of  galley  as  on  the  later 
bronze  issues  of  Antiochus  III.  In 

NUMISMATIC  NOTES 

TYRE 

19 

field,  the  date  EAP  ( = 178-177  b.c.). 

Glasgow,  Hunterian  Coll.,  No.  11  (gr.  7.55),  PI. 
lxvi,  5. 

25  Chalkous. 

Obv.  Similar. 

Rev.  Similar,  but  date  is  SAP  ( = 177- 
176  B.C.). 

Paris,  No.  509  (gr.  7.10),  No.  510  (gr.  6.80). 

26  Chalkous. 

Obv.  Similar. 

Rev.  Similar,  but  date  is  PAffl  ( = 176* 
I7S  B.C.). 

Paris,  No.  512  (gr.  7.20),  PI.  xi,  20;  Glasgow, 
Hunterian  Coll.  No.  12  (gr.  6.84);  Newell  Coll., 
(gr.  6.95)  Plate  VI. 

27  Chalkous. 

Obv.  Similar. 

Rev . Similar,  but  date  is  PAH  ( = 175- 
174  b,c.). 

Newell  Coll.,  gr.  6.30. 

28  Dilepton. 

Obv . Similar. 

Rev.  BA2IAEQ2  on  r.  SEAETKOT 
on  1.  Palm  tree,  the  whole  in  circle  of 
dots. 

Newell  Coll.  (gr.  2.00)  Plate  VI. 

AND  MONOGRAPHS 

20 

S EL  EUCID  COINAGE 

The  two  tetradrachms  described  above, 
bearing  the  name  and  portrait  of  Seleucus 
IV,  follow  closely  the  type  and  style  of  his 
father’s  last  issue  in  Tyre.  Each  coin, 
furthermore,  displays  in  the  left  field, 
outside  the  inscription,  the  magistrate’s 
initials  2 A and  beneath  them  the  mint- 
mark  Club — thus  exactly  reproducing  the 
above  mentioned  piece  of  Antiochus  III 
(No.  2 1) . Finally,  in  the  right  field  of  our 
coins  are  to  be  seen  either  f\J<  (No.  22)  or 
ft  (No.  23),  both  monograms  occurring 
frequently  on  preceding  coinages.  There 
can  be  no  possible  question,  therefore, 
but  that  we  here  possess  issues  for  the  same 
mint  whose  activities  we  have  studied  for 
the  preceding  reign. 

The  bronze  coins,  Nos.  24-28,  likewise 
carry  on  the  issues  of  Antiochus  III  for 
Tyre.  We  see  the  same  types  used  for  the 
two  denominations  struck,  excepting  only 
that  the  portrait  and  name  of  Seleucus  IV 
have  now  been  substituted  for  those  of  his 
father  Antiochus  the  Great.  Similarly, 
it  is  only  the  larger  of  the  two  denomina- 
tions that  bear  dates,  in  this  case  EAP 

NUMISMATIC  NOTES 

TYRE 

21 

to  PAH  inclusive.  This  latter  date  PAH 
(year  138  Aer.  Sel.  = after  September  30th 
of  175  b.c.)  is  interesting  as  its  existence 
on  the  coinage  of  Seleucus  IV  has  been 
questioned  more  than  once.  First  pub- 
lished by  Sestini  {Lett.  Num.  Vol.  VIII, 
p.  no)  wheie,  however,  the  coin  has  been 
wrongly  described,  the  portrait  of  Seleucus 
being  called  a bust  of  Dionysus  and  the 
ship’s  stern  a prow — it  has  been  republished 
by  Mionnet  although  he  questions  it  in  the 
following  terms:  “Si  cette  date  a ete  bien 

lue,  elle  donne  un  grand  prix  a cette  medaille 
qui  prolonge  le  regne  de  Seleucus  IV  d'une 
annee  ou  de  quelques  mois,  puisque  c’est  en 
Van  138  de  Vere  des  Seleucides  qu’Antiochus 
IV  est  monte  sur  le  trone.”  Furthermore, 
Cavedoni  {Rev.  Num.  1856,  p.377)  has  at- 
tempted to  reject  the  da,te  PAH,  while 
Clinton  in  his  Fasti  Hellenici  does  not  even 
mention  it  under  the  reign  of  Seleucus  IV. 
On  these  apparently  sufficient  grounds  M. 
Babelon,  too,  in  his  “ Les  Rois  de  Syrie , 
d’Arm'nie  et  de  Commagene,”  p.  xci,  dis- 
cards the  date  in  question  from  among 
the  coins  of  Seleucus.  On  the  other  hand, 

AND  MONOGRAPHS 

22 

JSELEUCID  COINAGE 

- 

the  coin  in  the  author’s  collection  (No.  27) 
is  unquestionably  an  issue  of  Seleucus  IV 
as  it  bears  a typical  portrait  of  that  king, 
while  the  name  2EAEYK0Y  is  plainly 
visible.  The  types  correct  the  description 
of  the  coin  given  by  Sestini  and  prove  the 
piece  to  belong  to  the  issues  of  the  mint 
now  under  discussion.  The  date  PAH, 
in  its  usual  position  immediately  above  the 
stern,  is  quite  legible,  and,  in  particular, 
the  final  letter  H — the  crux  of  the  whole 
matter — chances  to  be  clearest  of  all. 
The  coin  is  not  reproduced  on  our  plate 
as  the  character  of  the  patina  with  which 
it  is  covered  is  such  that,  while  the  date 
is  quite  legible  to  the  naked  eye,  it  has 
been  found  impossible  to  secure  a plaster 
cast  of  sufficient  clearness  to  make  repro- 
duction on  the  plates  worth  while. 

The  presence  .of  the  date  PAH  on  a 
coin  of  Seleucus  IV  is  proved  by  the  speci- 
men in  the  author’s  collection.  Can  we 
explain  this  appearance  in  the  face  of  the 
general  scepticism  among  scholars  recorded 
above?  I think  the  true  explanation  lies 
in  the  circumstances  immediately  follow. 

NUMISMATIC  NOTES 

TYRE 

23 

in g the  assassination  of  Seleucus  IV  by 
his  minister  Heliodorus.  This  latter  event 
appears  in  all  probability  to  have  occurred 
in  the  summer  of  175  b.c.,  as  the  chronolo- 
gists  give  Seleucus  twelve  years  of  reign. 
Now  there  followed  several  months  of 
doubt  and  uncertainty  regarding  the  suc- 
cession to  the  Seleucid  throne.  Heliodorus 
as  regent  probably  proclaimed  Antiochus, 
infant  son  of  the  murdered  king,  and 
carried  on  the  rule  in  his  name.  On  the 
other  hand,  Antiochus,  the  brother  of 
Seleucus  IV,  being  at  Athens  when  the 
news  of  the  assassination  reached  him, 
immediately  proclaimed  his  own  candidacy 
to  the  throne.  He  sailed  for  Asia  Minor 
and  with  the  assistance  of  Eumenes,  king 
of  Pergamum,  finally  overcame  Heliodorus 
and  secured  the  dominions  of  his  brother 
These  events  must  have  covered  many 
months  to  allow  sufficient  time  for  the  news 
to  reach  Athens,  for  Antiochus  to  arrive  in 
Asia  Minor,  for  Eumenes  to  collect  his 
forces,  for  the  subsequent  advance  into 
Syria  and  for  the  eventual  overthrow  of 
Heliodorus.  It  might  well  be,  therefore, 

AND  MONOGRAPHS 

24 

SELEUCID  COINAGE 

that  the  Seleucid  year  138 — which  we  now 
know  for  certain  saw  the  striking  of  bronze 
coins  with  the  names  of  both  Seleucus  IV 
(No.  27)  and  Antiochus  IV  (No.  33) — was 
already  several  months  old  before  An- 
tiochus finally  found  himself  completely 
master  of  the  situation.  In  the  mean- 
while things  must  have  been  somewhat 
uncertain.  And  as  small  change  was 
needed  in  Tyre,  the  authorities  there 
decided  to  continue  the  bronze  coinage 
with  the  old  types  but  bearing  the  correct 
date  PAH.  Such  a procedure  neither 
faction  could  really  take  amiss.  So  soon  as 
Antiochus  was  definitely  established  in 
Syria,  Tyre  hastened  to  change  the  old 
types  for  the  new  ones  on  her  coinages. 

It  is,  of  course,  possible  that  the  assassi- 
nation of  Seleucus  did  not  actually  take 
place  until  after  the  commencement  of 
the  year  138  Aer.  SeL  (that  is  after  Septem- 
ber or  October  175  b.c.) — we  do  not  know 
the  exact  date  of  this  occurrence.  Such 
dated  cuneiform  tablets  as  have  been 
published5  do  not  help  us  much  in  this 
regard.  The  latest  one  dated  in  the  reign 

NUMISMATIC  NOTES 

TYRE 

25 

of  Seleucus  IV  bears  the  date  135  Aer.  Sel. 
( = 177-176  b.c.),  while  the  first  one  of 
Antiochus  IV  was  dated  on  the  22nd  day 
of  Iyyar  of  the  year  138.  This  corresponds 
to  May  174  b.c.,  as  in  Babylonian  records 
the  Seleucid  Era  appears  to  have  been 
computed  from  the  first  of  Nisan  (April) 
of  312  B.C. 

ANTIOCHUS  IV,  175-164  b.c. 

Series  I. 

29  Tetradrachm. 

Obv.  Diaderr\ed  head  of  Antiochus  IV 
to  r.  Around,  fillet  (?)  border. 

Rev.  BA2IAEQ2  on  r.  ANTIOXOT 
on  1.  Apollo  seated  to  1.  on  omphalos, 
holds  arrow  in  outstretched  right  hand 
and  rests  left  on  bow.  On  1.,  outside 
inscription,  21 A over  Club.  On  r.. 
outside  inscription,  [AJ. 

Paris,  No.  518.  Plate  VII. 

30  Drachm. 

Obv.  Similar. 

Rev.  Similar. 

Athens.  Plate  VII. 

31  Drachm.  • 

Obv.  Similar. 

• 

AND  MONOGRAPHS 

26 

SELEUCI D COINAGE 

• 

Rev.  Similar,  but  Club  is  in  exergue 
and  SA  is  missing. 

Glasgow  (Hunterian  Coll.  No.  6). 

32  Drachm. 

Obv.  Similar. 

Rev.  Similar,  but  Club  only  on  1. 

Glasgow  (Hunterian  Coll.  No.  7.) 

33  Chalkous. 

Obv.  Similar.  Circle  of  dots. 

Rev.  BA2IAEQ2  above.  ANTIOXOT 
below.  Stem  of  galley  above  which 
is  date  L PAH  ( = 175-174  b.c.). 

Paris,  No.  672  (gr.  7.20),  PI.  xiv,  fig.  19;  Rouvier 
Coll.,  No.  1840,  where  type  is  wrongly  described 
as  prow. 

34  Chalkous. 

Obv.  Similar. 

Rev.  Similar,  but  date  is  L0AP  ( = 
174-173  B.C.) . 

Paris,  No.  673  (gr.  5.45). 

35  Dilepton. 

Obv.  Similar. 

Rev.  BA2IAEQ2  on  r.  ANTIOXOT  on 
1.  Palm  tree. 

Rouvier  Coll.,  No.  1845. 

NUMISMATIC  NOTES 

TYRE 

27 

Series  II. 

36  Tetradrachm. 

Obv.  Diademed  head  of  Antiochus  TV 
to  r.  Fillet  border  around. 

Rev . BASIAEQSonr.  ANTIOXOT  on 
1.  Apollo,  as  on  No.  29,  seated  to  1. 
On  1.,  outside  inscription,  W over  Club. 
On  r.,  outside  inscription, 

R.  Jameson  Coll.,  No.  1696.  Plate  VII. 

37  Tetradrachm. 

Obv.  Similar. 

Rev.  Similar.  On  1.,  outside  inscrip- 
tion, over  Wing . On  r.,  outside 

inscription,  £$].  Club  in  exergue. 

Glasgow  (Hunterian  Coll.,  No.  5),  PI.  lxvi,  10. 

38.  Chalkous. 

Obv.  Diademed  head  of  Antiochus  IV 
to  r.  Behind  AMP  ( = 169-168  B.C.). 
Rev.  BA2IAEQ2  ANTIOXOT  TY- 
PIQN  in  three  lines  above  stern  of 
galley. 

DiT^DX  in  two  lines  beneath. 

Newell  (gr.  7.33);  Rouvier  Coll.  No.  1842,  PI. 
xviii,  25;  London,  No.  55;  Paris,  Nos.  674  (PI.  xiv. 
fig.  20)  to  677  (gr.  7.50,  7.75,  8.50,  7.65). 

AND  MONOGRAPHS 

28 

SELEUCID  COINAGE 

39  Chalkotjs. 

Obv.  Similar,  but  date  is  E M P ( = 
168-167  B.C.). 

Rev.  Similar. 

Paris,  No.  678  (gr.  6.35). 

40  Chalkotjs. 

Obv.  Similar,  but  the  head  is  also 
radiate  and  there  is  no  date. 

Rev.  Similar  inscriptions,  but  type 
represents  prow  of  a galley. 

Paris,  Nos.  679-681  (gr.  6.10,  7.70,  6.85);  Rouvier 
Coll.  No.  1844. 

Rouvier  describes  these  coins  as  showing  a prow 
instead  of  the  stern  of  a galley,  and  cites  the  pieces 
in  the  Paris  Collection.  M.  Babelon,  however, 
makes  no  note  of  the  change  in  type. 

In  the  138th  year  of  the  Seleucid  Era, 
the  brilliant  but  erratic  Antiochus  IV, 
surnamed  Epiphanes,  finally  became  es- 
tablished as  ruler  of  the  empire.  This  we 
learn  definitely  from  the  dated  bronze 
coins  struck  in  Tyre  (Nos.  27  and  33), 
which  in  that  year  substituted  his  name 
and  portrait  for  those  of  Seleucus  his  prede- 
cessor. 

With  regard  to  the  Tyrian  silver  issues 
of  Antiochus,  we  should  note  that  the  first 

N*U  MISMATIC  NOTES 

TYRE 

29 

series  continues  exactly  the  style  and 
appearance  of  the  Seleucus’  coinage  for 
this  mint.  The  two  magistrates  2 A and 
again  sign  their  initials  on  the  coinage, 
thus  making  it  certain  that  we  have  here 
the  issues  of  a single  mint. 

The  break  which  occurs  in  the  Tyrian 
bronze  coinage  (no  issues  known  between 
©AP  and  AMP)  appears  to  extend  to  the 
silver  coinage  as  well.  An  interval  of 
some  years  duration  must  have  elapsed 
between  the  appearance  of  Nos.  29  and  36. 
Though  they  are  evidently  the  issues  of 
one  mint — they  both  display  the  club 
symbol,  which  by  now  we  have  come  to 
recognize  as  characteristic  of  our  series, 
and  the  same  magistrate’s  monogram  ^ — 
there  is  a noticeable  difference  in  style. 
In  this  respect  the  earlier  coin  is  nearest 
to  its  immediate  predecessors  under  Seleu- 
cus IV,  Its  style  is  fine,  its  relief  is  still 
rather  high,  its  flan  is  small  and  the  surface 
of  its  reverse  is  somewhat  concave. 

On  the  other  hand,  Nos.  36  and  37  are 
more  closely  allied  with  the  succeeding 
silver  issues  under  Antiochus  V and 

AND  MONOGRAPHS 

30 

SELEUCID  COINAGE 

Demetrius  I.  Like  them,  Nos.  36  and  37 
are  of  lower  relief  and  more  spread  fabric. 
On  No.  37,  for  the  first  time,  an  additional 
symbol — a wing — appears  in  the  field,  and 
is  henceforth  always  present  until  the 
reform  instituted  in  the  Tyrian  coinage 
in  the  first  year  of  Alexander  I Bala. 
ANTIOCHUS  V,  164-162  b.c. 

On  the  sudden  death  of  Antiochus 
Epiphanes,  his  young  son,  also  named 
Antiochus,  succeeded  him  for  a short  and 
troubled  reign  of  two  years.  None-the-less, 
both  silver  and  bronze  coins  were  issued 
in  his  name  at  Tyre,  as  the  following  pieces 
bear  witness. 

41  Tetradrachm. 

Obv.  Diademed  head  of  Antiochus  V 
to  r.  Fillet  border. 

Rev.  BA2IAE£22  onr.  ANTIOXOT  on 
1.  EYIIATOPOI!  in  exergue.  Apollo 
seated  to  1.  as  on  No.  36.  On  1.,  outside 
inscription,  14  above  Wing . On  r., 
outside  inscription,  above  Club. 

London,  No.  1.  Plate  VII. 

42  Dilepton. 

Obv.  Similar.  Border  of  dots. 

NUMISMATIC  NOTES 

TYRE 

31 

Rev.  BA2IAEQ2  on  r.  ANTIOXOT 

on  1.  Palm  tree. 

Rouvier  Coll.,  No.  1846.  PI.  xviii,  23. 

43  Dilepton. 

Obv.  Similar. 

Rev.  Similar,  but  in  field  N — P ( = 163- 

162  B.C.). 

Cat.  Walcher  de  Molthein  No.  2947,  PI.  xxvi; 

Newell  Coll.  (gr.  2.43).  Plate  VII. 

Rouvier  Coll.,  No.  1847. 

In  style  and  appearance  these  coins  are 
exactly  similar  to  the  last  issues  under 
Antiochus  IV.  On  the  tetradrachm  we 
may  notice  the  monograms  of  the  two 
magistrates  who  had  previously  signed 
No.  37.  Our  coin  also  displays  the  Club 
and  the  Wing  symbols.  For  the  first 
time  in  our  mint  there  now  appears  on 
the  silver  coinage  the  official  appellation- 
in  this  case  Em rdrwp — of  the  ruling  king, 
a custom  which  had  already  become  preva- 
lent in  the  central  mint  of  Antioch 
under  Antiochus  IV  (see  the  authors 
“The  Seleucid  Mint  of  Antioch/’  Amer. 
Jour,  of  Num.,  Vol.  LI). 

AND  MONOGRAPHS 

32 

SELEUCID  COINAGE 

DEMETRIUS  I,  162-151  B.c. 

44  Tetradrachm. 

Obv.  Diademed  head  of  Demetrius  I. 
to  r.,  the  whole  surrounded  by  a laurel 
wreath. 

Rev.  BASIAEQ2  on  r.  AHMHTPIOT 
on  1.  Tyche  enthroned  to  1.,  holds 
short  sceptre  in  r.  hand  and  cornucopise 
in  1.  On  1.,  outside  inscription,  ^ 
over  Club.  On  r.,  outside  inscription, 
PN  over  Wing. 

London,  No.  35;  Warren  Coll.,  No.  1301.  PI.  xxx; 
Paris  (recent  acquisition),  monogram  here  is 

Plate  VIII. 

45  Tetradrachm. 

Obv.  Similar. 

Rev.  Similar.  On  1.,  outside  inscrip- 
tion, PTC  over  Wing.  On  r.,  outside 
inscription,  P5h  In  exergue,  Club. 

Paris,  No.  714,  Plate  VIII;  Glasgow  (Hunterian 
Coll.,  No.  7). 

46  Drachm. 

Obv.  Similar  but  head  is  surrounded 
with  a dotted  border  instead  of  the 
laurel  wreath. 

Rev.  Similar.  On  1.,  outside  inscrip- 

NUMISMATIC  NOTES 

TYRE 

33 

tion,  over  Wing.  On  r.,  outside 

inscription,  C$1.  In  exergue,  Club. 

Egger,  XLV,  PI.  xix,  680;  Rev.  Edgar  Rogers 
Coll.,  Plate  VIII;  Petrowicz  Coll.  (Z.f.N.  Vol. 
XXIX,  1912,  PI.  iv,  17). 

47  Chalkous. 

Obv.  Diademed  head  of  Demetrius  to 
r.  Border  of  dots. 

Rev.  BA2IAEQ2  AHMHTPIOT  LANP 
( = 159-158  b.c.)  in  three  lines  above 
stern  of  galley.  TTPIQN  and  "ivS 
beneath. 

London,  Nos.  43  and  44;  Paris,  No.  770  (gr.  8.10) 
and  No.  771  (gr.  6.05)  PI.  xvii,  fig.  2;  Rouvier  Coll., 
No.  1850;  Newell  Coll.  (gr.  7.24). 

48  Hemichalkous. 

Obv.  Similar. 

Rev.  BA2IAEQS  AHMHTPIOT  TT- 
PIQN in  three  lines  above  prow  to  1. 
LANP  ( = 159-158  B.c.)  and  ivb  in 
exergue. 

Rouvier  Coll.,  No.  1848,  PI.  xviii,  27;  Rev.  Edgar 
Rogers  Coll. 

49  Hemichalkous. 

Obv.  Similar. 

Rev.  BA2IAEQ2  AHMHTPIOT  LANP 
in  three  lines  above  prow  to  1.  TTPIQN 
and  "1^6  in  exergue. 

AND  MONOGRAPHS 

34 

SELEUCID  COINAGE 

Rouvier  Coll.,  No.  1849,  PI.  xviii,  26;  Rev.  Edgar 
Rogers  Coll.  Plate  VIII. 

go  Chalkous. 

Obv.  Similar. 

Rev.  Similar  to  No.  47  except  that 
date  is  LHNP  ( = 155-154  b.c.). 

Newell  Coll  (gr.  7.30,  6.25);  Paris,  Nos.  772  to  774 
(gr.  6.10,  7.70,  6.50);  London,  Nos.  45  and  46; 
Rouvier  Coll.,  No.  1851;  Rev.  Edgar  Rogers  Coll. 

51  Hemichalkous. 

Obv.  Similar. 

Rev.  Like  No.  49  but  dated  HNP. 

Rev.  Edgar  Rogers  Coll. 

52  Chalkous. 

Obv.  Similar. 

Rev.  Similar  to  No.  50,  except  that 
the  date  is  ©NP  ( = 154-153  b.c.). 

Newell  Coll.  (gr.  6.55);  Paris,  Nos.  775,  776  (gr. 
7.10,  6.55);  London,  Nos.  47  and  48;  Rouvier 
Coll.,  No.  1852;  Rev.  Edgar  Rogers  Coll. 

53  Hemichalkous. 

Obv.  Similar. 

Rev.  Similar  to  No.  51,  except  that 
date  is  ©NP. 

Rev.  Edgar  Rogers  Coll. 

54  Dilepton. 

Obv.  Similar. 

Rev.  BA2IAEQ2  on  r.  AHMHTPIOY 

NUMISMATIC  NOTES 

TYRE 

35 

on  1.  Palm  tree.  Date  is  SP  ( = 153- 

152  B.C.). 

Paris,  No.  779  (gr.  2.45),  PI.  xvii,  fig.  3;  Newell 

Coll.  (gr.  2.08,  2,20,  1.80,  1.90).  Plate  VIII. 

55  Dilepton. 

Obv.  Similar. 

Rev.  Similar,  except  that  date  reads 

LA  — SP  ( = 152-151  b.c.). 

Schroeder  Coll.,  Beyrout. 

Demetrius’  Tyrian  coins,  both  in  silver 
and  bronze,  continue  all  the  features  first 
introduced  during  the  latter  portion  of 
Antiochus  Epiphanes’  reign  and  continued 
in  the  coinage  of  his  young  son  Antiochus 
V,  The  issues  of  Demetrius  are  still  super- 
vised by  the  magistrate  and  the  tetra- 

drachms  and  drachms  all  bear  the  symbols 
Club  and  Wing , The  coinage  continues  at 
intervals  throughout  the  twelve  years 
reign  of  Demetrius  until  the  161st  of  the 
Seleucid  era.  In  that  year  his  rival, 
Alexander  I,  sumamed  Bala,  first  secured 
a good  foothold  in  Phoenicia.  The  follow- 
ing year  the  latter  finally  succeeded  in 
completely  overthrowing  Demetrius,  who 
perished  in  a pitched  battle  fought  not 
far  from  Antioch. 

AND  MONOGRAPHS 

36 

SELEUCID  COINAGE 

It  was  in  that  very  same  year,  namely 
162  of  the  Seleucid  Era,  that  Alexander 
first  introduced  the  Ptolemaic  system  of 
coinage  into  the  Seleucid  series.  These 
new  tetradrachms  and  didrachms  are  of 
Phoenician  weight,  they  display  the  portrait 
of  the  ruler  on  the  obverse,  his  name  and  the 
Ptolemaic  eagle  on  the  reverse.  They  were 
first  struck  in  large  quantities  at  the  mints 
of  Tyre,  Sidon  and  Berytus.  The  mono- 
grams or  symbols  of  these  cities  are  con- 
spicuously placed  in  the  reverse  field. 
Tyre  is  designated  by  a Club  and  mono- 
gram, Sidon  by  SI  and  an  Acrostolium, 

Berytus  by  a Trident. 

* * * * * 

In  the  preceding  pages  has  been  described 
a group  of  silver  tetradrachms  and  occa- 
sional drachms  which  together  form  an 
unusually  homogeneous  series.  With  the 
exception  of  a few  varieties  at  the  very 
commencement,  every  one  of  these  silver 
coins  displays  a club  as  symbol,  in  addition 
to  varying  monograms  and  other  symbols. 
The  club,  therefore,  is  the  characteristic 
symbol  of  this  series  as  a whole,  and  we 

NUMISMATIC  NOTES 

TYRE 

37 

have  every  reason  for  recognizing  in  it  the 
symbol  of  the  mint  which  once  issued  this 
group  of  coins.  To  judge  by  the  portrait 
of  Antiochus  III,  under  whom  this  issue 
commenced,  its  first  appearance  must  be 
assigned  to  about  the  middle  of  that 
monarch’s  re;gn.  It  finally  came  to  an 
end  with  the  accession  of  Alexander  Bala, 
who  substituted  his  well-known  Phoenician 
tetradrachms  with  their  accompanying 
smaller  denominations.  No  coins  similar 
to  those  described  in  the  preceding  pages 
have  so  far  been  published  or  exist  in  any 
collection  to  which  the  writer  has  had 
access,  which  bear  any  other  portrait 
than  those  of  the  five  kings  immediately 
preceding  Alexander  Bala. 

In  the  introduction  attention  was  called 
to  the  surprising  fact  that  scholars  have 
not  yet  been  successful  in  assigning  any 
Seleucid  silver  issues  to  the  wealthy  sea- 
port of  Tyre,  from  the  time  it  was  finally 
captured  by  Antiochus  III  to  the  death 
of  Demetrius  I.  And  yet,  throughout 
these  fifty  odd  years,  Phoenicia  had  formed 
a vastly  important  province  of  the  Syrian 

AND  MONOGRAPH  S 

38 

SELEUCID  COINAGE 

Empire  under  the  more  or  less  prosperous 
reigns  of  Antiochus  III,  Seleucus  IV, 
Antiochus  IV,  Antiochus  V and  Demetrius 
I.  That  Tyre  really  possessed  an  active 
mint  throughout  this  very  period  we  are 
certain  because  of  the  large  series  of  named 
and  dated  bronze  coins  whose  attribution 
is  absolutely  beyond  question.  Now,  as 
shown  above,  there  has  come  to  light  a 
strikingly  homogeneous  series  of  tetra- 
drachms  and  accompanying  drachms  which 
bear  the  names  and  portraits  of  every  one 
of  the  five  missing  kings.  The  series  com- 
mences abruptly  with  the  tetradrachms 
of  Antiochus  III  and  ends  as  abruptly  with 
those  of  Demetrius  I.  The  latter,  how- 
ever, should  be  compared  with  the  succeed- 
ing Phoenician  tetradrachms  of  Alexander 
Bala,  those  of  Tyrian  mintage,  which  they 
closely  resemble  in  style  and  technique. 
The  surmise  that  one  and  all  were  struck 
in  Tyre  is  definitely  confirmed  by  the 
practically  invariable  presence  of  the  club, 
a symbol  which  for  over  four  hundred 
years  was  continuously  employed  to  in- 
dicate the  Tyrian  mint.  Moreover,  \ the 

NUMISMATIC  NOTES 

TYRE 

39 

portraits  on  the  accompanying  bronze 
coins,  whose  attribution  to  Tyre  is  certain, 
closely  resemble  in  character  and  work- 
manship those  found  on  the  silver  de- 
nominations. 

Thus  that  unexplainable  gap  in  the 
Tyrian  silver  mintage,  the  only  real  gap 
that  existed  in  its  issues  from  the  time 
when  the  mint  was  reopened  under  Antig- 
onus  after  its  closing  by  Alexander  the 
Great,  until  the  final  silver  issues  under 
the  Roman  emperors  Trajan  and  Cara- 
calla,  is  now  apparently  closed.  Inci- 
dentally, one  more  group  of  the  great 
Seleucid  series  can  be  placed  on  one  side 
as  now  assignable,  with  every  appearance 
of  finality,  to  its  original  mint — in  this 
case,  Tyre. 

AND  MONOGRAPHS 

40 

SELEUCID  COINAGE 

NOTES 

1 Compare  its  issues  with  those  of  Sidon,  Gaza, 
Ptolemais,  or  Joppa  in  Svoronos’  "T a No^tV/u-ara  rov 

K parovs  tu)u  IlroAefiaicDu.” 

2 In  a recent  letter  to  the  writer,  the  Rev.  Edgar 
Rogers,  well  known  for  his  studies  of  the  Seleucid 
series,  made  this  same  observation  based  upon  previous 
and  entirely  independent  research. 

3 “The  Seleucid  Mint  of  Antioch,”  Amer.  Jour. 
Num.  Vol.  LI,  1917. 

4 Rois  de  Syrie,  etc. 

6 A.  T.  Clay:  Legal  Documents  from  Erech,  N.  Y.. 
1913,  Introd.,  p.  14. 

\ 

\ 

NUMISMATIC  NOTES 

TYRE 


Plate  I 


Antiochus  III 

Series  I 


TYRE 


Plate  II 


Antiochus  III 


Series  II 


TYRE 


Plate  III 


Antiochus  III 


Series  III 


r\»'3yiXH' 


TYRE 


Plate  IV 


Antiochus  III 

Series  III 


TYRE 


Plate  V 


Antiochus  III 

Series  III  (Nos.  13-20) 
Series  IV  (No.  21) 


■n  \ n.Y»: 


■ 


TYRE 


Plate  VI 


Seleucus  IV 


TYRE 


Plate  VII 


Antiochus  IV  (Nos.  29-36) 
Antiochus  V (Nos.  41-43) 


TYRE 


Plate  VIII 


Demetrius  I 


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